Making the Most of Masters Week: Spotlight Your Business to a Global Audience

The Masters – it truly is a “tradition like no other,” and in the CSRA we’re so fortunate to not only host the prestigious tournament itself, but to also play host to its patrons, the visitors from around the world.

Last year The Masters tournament had an impact of $115 million in our local economy – that’s big. This is the time when CSRA businesses can shine, highlight what they do best and grab a piece of that very large monetary impact.

The Masters and its tourists bring great opportunities to get your products or services in front of your community and prospective customers – all it takes is some creative marketing. If you’ve never capitalized on Masters Week, make this your year. Sure, it takes some time and planning, but the payoff can be big if you do it right.

To help you get into the Masters Week spirit, here are a few marketing ideas for business owners to get the most out of the biggest tourist week in the CSRA.

Meet New Customers

Masters Week means the opportunity to meet customers who may have never heard of your business; after all, people come from all corners of the globe during the tournament. This is your chance to market yourself and your products in a fun way, and hopefully encourage a few customers to return to your store again.

What’s the best way to go about this? Free stuff! One of the most well-received marketing ideas among consumers are “swag bags.” Put together bags for the first 100 people who stop by your business during Masters Week and promote this on social and/or local media. Include a business card and a few smaller, inexpensive items.

Another great idea is to team up with a local restaurant that will give away coupons for free items to include in your bags, which highlights their business as well.

(Did you know … Manuel Verney-Carron, chef and owner of Manuel’s Bread Cafe in North Augusta, was recently given the Culinary Genius Award through the US Foods’ first Food Fanatics Awards program? Stop by and check out their delicious menu!)

Show Your Masters Spirit

Show that you’re actively involved in Masters Week and you’ll leave a lasting positive impression surrounding your business. In the weeks leading up to the tournament, send out an email to your customer database with Masters Week deals and details and make sure your employees are mentioning it to everyone who walks into your store.

Also, launch a full-out social media campaign! Get on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter and join in the conversation by following the official Masters accounts, as well as other businesses actively offering events and promotions during Masters Week. Of course, promote Masters Week itself, and encourage your followers to attend tournament related events.

Show Off

This is your chance to test out new products or packages with customers. Don’t hold back – take advantage of this global stage that The Masters provides! Get creative with your store displays, or combine some items into a gift set.

Shoppers love pre-packaged gift ideas because it makes their life easier, and who doesn’t love that?

Hold a daily giveaway during tournament week that you promote via social media. This is a great way to promote traffic and encourage return customers. Just have customers fill out a card and throw it in a box, fishbowl, etc. This is also a great way to collect information for your customer database (just be sure to include a permissions box, so that they may opt to receive promotional emails).

Get Connected

Masters Week provides a great opportunity to meet people – global tourists, community leaders, local and fellow business owners, and sometimes even an occasional celebrity! So, don’t miss out on meeting some really great people (and possible customers) – engage with everyone that comes in! A friendly demeanor is more likely to bring customers back, and establish trust in your business.

Masters Week is also a great opportunity to meet the business owners in your community. Go visit or introduce yourself to nearby business owners. Networking is critical in business and Masters Week provides many opportunities to get out and meet people.

Put Yourself Out There

It can be scary to put your business out there, especially if you’ve never highlighted your business during an event as large as The Masters, and to such a diverse crowd. But, pushing yourself to take part in Masters Week this season will give you and your products or services great exposure.

How do you get involved in the first place? Start by joining your local Chamber (if you haven’t already). Chambers are a great resource and can definitely assist you with any questions you may have about Masters Week. Also, get to know your business neighbors.

If you’re ready for advanced level involvement, why not try putting something together yourself? All you need is a few businesses to say “yes,” and suddenly you have an established and looked-forward-to event during the most prestigious event in sports – and most importantly, a piece of that big monetary impact.

HAPPY MASTERS 2016!

If you’d like to provide the Official Guide to North Augusta for any Masters patrons or guests, please call the North Augusta Chamber at 803-279-2323. We’ll be happy to provide copies for you!